SHOT IN ERROR

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 October 1931, Page 9

SHOT IN ERROR

GUEST MISTAKEN FOR THIEF Last May, a timber merchant, M. Albert Belin, and his wife, when out for a walk at Romainvinne, near Paris, got into conversation with a woman named Clemence Druette, who was gathering herbs. They invited her to take an aperitif with them, and the three people remained together until late in the evening. As Mme. Druette was afraid to go home alone so late, the Belins invited her to sleep at their house. ‘ Early in the morning, when it was still dark, Mme. Belin was awakened by the sound of someone moving about in her bed-room. . Forgetting Mme; Druette, she roused her husband in panic. He, still half-asleep, seized a gun and a moment later it went off. Mme. Druette received a chargp of shot in the face and was terribly mutilated. M. Belin has been sentenced to a year’s imprisonment and ordered to pay his guest a pension of £l6. An expert has also been appointed to assess the damages.